Chile Colorado {Beef Stewed in a Red Chile Sauce}

4.91 from 20 votes

Chile Colorado {Beef Stewed in a Red Chile Sauce}

A traditional Mexican dish of beef stewed in a red chile sauce. This is the best Chile Colorado (aka Carne Con Chile Rojo) I have tried! It's healthier than eating out, because you can manage the fat content, and you know the quality of ingredients and meat being used in it.

Prep Time25

Cook Time2 15

Total Time2 40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: beef, chile colorado, gluten-free, keto, low-carb, mexican, red chile sauce

Servings:

Calories: 473kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Sauce:

12 New Mexico chiles or Guajillo chiles (dried)
4 Chiles de Arbol (optional, for added heat)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion sliced
6 garlic cloves whole
2 cups chicken broth (or beef broth)

For the Beef & Stew:

3 lbs. beef chuck roast or steak (cut into 1" cubes, trimmed of excess fat, seasoned with a bit of salt & pepper)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chicken broth (or beef broth)
½ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoon cumin
salt & pepper to taste

Optional:

1-2 tablespoon Masa Harina or All-Purpose flour (as a thickener if needed)

Instructions

For the Sauce:

Remove the stem and seeds from the New Mexico (or Guajillo) dried chiles. Rinse, and pat dry.
Pre-heat a large skillet on Medium, and toast the chiles until lighlty browned and fragrant (1- 2 minutes).
In a sauce pan, (large enough to fit the chiles when layed flat) bring 2 cups of chicken broth to a boil. Then turn off heat.
Submerge the dried chiles in the broth, cover, and let soak for 15-20 minutes to soften.
Meanhwile, use the same large skillet and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook the garlic and onions on Medium heat, until the onions are transluscent (about 5 minutes).
To a blender or food processor, add the garlic & onions, the chiles w/the broth, and the Chiles de Arbol (if using). Blend, until a smooth sauce has formed (about 1-2 minutes). Set aside. (You may have to strain through a seive, see notes.)

For the Beef & Stew:

Using the same large skillet, sear the cubed beef on Medium-High heat with 1 tablespoon oil, until well browned (about 5 minutes). (Make sure the pan is really hot before searing, and work in 2-3 batches to not crowd the pan.)
Add the blended sauce, the seared beef, 2 cups of chicken broth, and all of the spices to a large stock pot.
Bring to a boil, then partially cover, and cook on low for 2-2.5 hours, or until meat is tender. (Mine took 2hrs 15 min.) *See notes if you would like a thicker consistency.
Season with more salt & pepper to taste. Serve in a bowl or plate, with your choice of sides, and garnish with cilantro.

Video

Notes

Short on time? Skip Searing!

Searing gives the beef added texture, and savory caramelized flavor! But...if you are in a hurry, you can skip this step and still end with a delicious meal!

Do you need to strain the sauce?

If you are using a high-powered blender (like my Vitamix) you shouldn't have to strain your sauce!

If you use a food-processor or regular blender, just strain the sauce through a sieve to get rid of any seeds and little bits that didn't blend.

Have extra sauce leftover?

After eating the beef, you may have quite a bit of sauce leftover (especially if you make a double batch like we usually do). Don't throw it away! It can be repurposed to make other meals. See blog notes on ways to use!

To Thicken:

After making this recipe, if it's too "soupy" for your taste, you can thicken it by adding Masa Harina or All-Purpose Flour. Just whisk 1-2 tablespoon with a cup of the red chile sauce in a small bowl, then stir it back into the pot the last 15 minutes of cooking. (I ended up adding 1 tablespoon of Masa Harina to mine.)

Alternative Cooking Methods:

This recipe can also be made in the Crockpot, or Instant Pot! As mentioned above, you can skip searing the beef if you are short on time.

Note: Using these alternative methods results in a thinner sauce, because they don't allow for the sauce to cook down as it does on the stove-top. So, add ½ cup less broth than the amount listed in recipe card (so only 1.5 cups when adding broth to the beef). You can also add some Masa Harina or Flour to thicken (as instructed above).

Also, after eating the beef, you may have quite a bit of sauce leftover. You can do what we did and use it to make a small batch of Red Enchiladas, or on wet burritos!

Slow-Cooker Method: (Use ½ cup less broth for slow-cooker.)
- Follow the recipe for making the sauce and searing the meat.
- Add all of the ingredients into a slow-cooker, and cook on Low for 6-8 hours, or High for 3-4 hours.
- Note: Add ½ cup less broth when slow-cooking.

Instant Pot: (Use ½ cup less broth for Instant pot.)
- Turn the Instant Pot to the "Sauté" setting on High.
- Follow the steps in the recipe, but use the Instant Pot to sauté the onions & garlic, and to sear the beef in batches.
- Turn off the sauté setting, add in all of your prepared ingredients, and seal the lid.
- Set the "Manual" mode on and cook on High for 30 minutes, followed by a natural release (about 10-15 minutes).

Recommended Equipment:

(click the item if you need to order)

Nutrition